Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author.

THE TEACHING OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

SKILLS BY USING THE PROGRAMMED

INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD.

A thes is presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of

Education at Massey University.

Pennee Kuntavong

~1979

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines the acquisition of interpe rsonal

skills by a sample of undergraduate students enrolled in the

education course at Massey University . A programmed text

develop e d by the experimenter , was used to train the subjects

in these skills .

Three groups , two experimental and one control , with

eight sub j ects each served as the sample for the study . The

first experimental group worked with a programmed text , a

tutor and audio-visual materials . The second experimental

group, worked with the programmed text alone . The third,

acting as a control group , did not have any materials or

training sessions.

It was expected that the second experimental group with

only a programmed text would develop as effective interpersonal

skills as the first group, without the addition of audio­

visual resources and a tutor.

Analysis of the data revealed that the subjects in the

first experimental group showed the greatest improvement in

interpersonal skills . The second experimental group had

significantly better results than the control group but

nevertheless was inferior to the first experimental group .

It was concluded that whilst the most productive means

of inculcating communication skills was by the interaction

of a programmed text, a tutor and audio- visual materials, a

programmed text alone was of value in developing inter­

personal skills.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study was achieved with the co-operation and support

from many individuals . In particular I wish to give my deep

appreciation to:

The many staff and post-graduate friends in the

Education Department, Massey University.

The group of Sunday School children .

The students from the Counselling and Guidance Diploma

Course 1978 at Massey University .

The students in Ed . 332 Innovation in Teaching Strateg ies

and Ed . 131 Learning and Teaching 1978 at Massey

University .

Mr Eric Ascroft who made the Experiment run .

Selwyn Cathcart for technical contributions.

Joe Hough who helped complete the retention test

session .

Hazel Hayward for transforming scripts into final copy.

The Eustace family for their warmth and hospitality, and

the Steffen's family for their warm support .

Professor Hill for his special kindness and concern.

Graham Woolford and Stephen F Steffens for serving as

raters.

Roselyne Dixon for proof-reading.

Stephen F Steffens who helped facilitate and clarify

concepts and ideas .

Pravin Singh for his meaningful and worthwhile questions

and suggestions.

Mike Brennan for his suggestions, concern and help in

clarifying my expressions in the programmed text, tests

and script excerpts .

Dr Hunt and Gary Hermansson who stayed beside me, shared

with me their warmth and respect all the way through.

ACKNOWLEDG EMENTS

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Research in Classroom Interaction

Advantages of Indirect Influence

Teacher As Facilitator

Empathy

Respect

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Teaching Model

Acquiring Interpersonal Skills

Training Effects

The Development of Relationship Training Programmes

Programmed Instruction Methodology

METHODOLOGY

Subjects

Teaching Materials

Teaching Procedures

Testing Instruments

Testing Procedures

Statistical Analysis

RESULTS

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

iv

vi

1

7

7

11

13

14

14

17

19

20

21

23

27

27

27

29

31

32

34

35

48

53

60

Table

1

2

LIST OF TABLES

Withall's Int e raction Analysis Categories

Fl anders' Int e raction Analy s is Cat e gories

3 Means an d Sta nd a rd Deviations of the Dis c rimination Scores for all Groups

4 Me ans and Standard Deviations of the Communication Scores for all Groups

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Analysis of Variance of Discrimination and Communication Pre-test

Analysis of Variance of Discrimination and Communication Post-test

Comparison of Post-Test and Retention-Test Discrimination Scores

Comparison of Post-Test and Ret e ntion-Test Communication Scores

Multiple Regression of the Variables Influencing Discrimination Post-Test Performance

Multiple Regression of the Variables Influencing Communication Post-Test Performance

Summary of Multiple Regression Analysis of Treatments and Pre-Test on Discrimination Post-Test

Summary of Multiple Regression Analysis of Treatments and Pre-Test on Communication Post-Test

8

9

36

36

39

40

41

42

44

45

46

47

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Within Thai society one can frequently witness a traditional

style of relationship between young people and members of the

older generation . Young people, according to Thai custom, are

expected to show complete respect and obedience to their elders.

This is generally manifested in a passive, non-questioning, and

submissive attitude in the presence of their superiors. This

cultural pattern is evidenced clearly in the interactions between

teachers and students. The authoritarian teacher is very much

the basis of the Thai educational system. Teacher attitude and

behaviour in the classroom serves to reinforce the traditional

pattern of respect and obedience by students.

It is usual to find students who appear to be good listeners,

but who are rather inactive in their interactions with teachers.

It would appear that this passivity has its source in the

traditional culture where an individual's outwardly quiet dis­

position is regarded as a positive expression of respect towards

elders. A more active stance is usually perceived by teachers,

lecturers, parents and older members of the society as an

indication of disrespect. Active student participation in class­

room interactions hardly occurs. The role of the teacher involves

the use of power with confidence to manage and control events in

the classroom.

This particular type of interaction has similarities with

more traditional relationships between teachers and students in

western societies. Hargraves (1972:139) indicates that the teacher

has power which derives from many sources - from his status as an

adult, from his traditional authority as a teacher, and from his

expertise in the subject matter he is teaching. The traditional

interaction between teacher and student can be demonstrated as

in Figure 1.

Figure 1.

Teacher

l Student

Figure 1. Traditional teacher-student relationship.

Figure 1 illustrates one way communication between teacher

and student in traditional approaches. It does not allow a

humanizing approach to learning and teaching which would be

characterized by both parties being actively involved. This

approach is continued by a lack of understanding of the importance

of active and reciprocal student-teacher interactions.

The consequences of teacher dominated pedagogy within the

Thai educational system would seem to be:

unquestioned teacher control over organization

and transmission of knowledge.

uncritical and passive student reactions to

bodies of knowledge.

absence of meaningful and beneficial active

communication between teacher and student.

prevalence of student apathy, lack of

personal development and meaningful

learning.

An increase in the teachers' awareness of the importance

and value of developing effective two-way communication would

assist in changing these kinds of consequences towards more active

involved learners.

2.

Schofield (1972:80) stated that "the art of teaching is a

process by which an individual, aided by certain material resources,

initiates students into mastery of selected knowledge, skills or

3.

attitudes. Therefore ... careful attention must be given to all the

components of the process: communication, material resources, the

student and the body of knowledge, skills and attitudes, which are

constantly changing."

From this standpoint, the following model of teaching can be

d emonstrated:

Figure 2.

Teacher Student

skills ----------~

§skills

attitudes------- ------)• attitudes

knowledge----- ---- knowledge -(- -

material resources----• material resources

mastery and more expert-

Figure 2. Schofield's teacher-student interaction model.

This teaching model shows an awareness of the importance of

communication. It also highlights the recognition of students

as vital elements in the teaching-learning process.

Gage (1968) indicated that the most effective teacher at any

level of education is one who humanizes his classroom, treats

every student with respect, and makes each individual feel

significant as a person. He also provides students with well­

defined standards of values, demands for competence, opportunity to

discover knowledge and concepts for themselves and guidance towards

the solution of problems.

Maslow (1971:189) stated that "the thing that the teacher or

helper should do is to accept the person and help him learn what

kind of person he is already. What is his style, what are his

aptitudes, what is he good for, not good for, what can we build

upon, what are his good raw materials , his good potentialities?"

The foundation for meaningful teaching and learning is

effective communication. This is largely the responsibility of

the teacher . Teachers must help students to explore, understand

and act on their personal worlds making use of the students' own

ideas, attitudes and skills.

A major question is the appropriateness of this type of

interaction within the Thai educational system and society. To

consider the students' frame of reference may be threatening to

the Thai teacher who may fear a loss of respect leading to dis­

ciplinary problems. Traditional Thai society believes that only

strict teachers can promote good classrooms .

To emphasize interpersonal relations in the classroom

situation could lead to a change from power based on age and

status to mutual respect with an acknowledgement of a skills

difference . Presently some directors or other managerial staff

are younger than their workers. The older and lower status

workers do maintain respect for younger leaders - a respect based

on their knowledge and skills. This indicates that in Thai

society there are some examples of alternative relationships .

For minimizing disciplinary problems in school, there are

4.

some research findings that demonstrate the advantages of effective

communication. Stoffer (1970), for example, indicated that the

problems of discipline often arise from the teacher's lack of

understanding of the pupil's immediate experience, infringement

either purposely or accidentally on the student's dignity, or

insincere communication .

Harbach and Asbury (1976) found that negative behaviours

decreased when teachers initiated facilitative conversation and

communicated empathic understanding1

to students with behaviour

problems .

1 Empathic understanding here involves the teacher's ability to understand the student ' s experiences from "inside" and a sensitive awareness of the way the process of education and learning is seen by the student .

This evidence suggests that the advantages of effective

communication far outweigh any disadvancages for disciplinary

control, and there is nothing at this point to suggest that it

would be different in Thai society.

5.

The i mplications for social change arising out of this approach

would be far reaching and may be resisted for a time. However, with

increased western influence on the Thai society, traditional

teacher-student relationships are weakening or declining . Relation­

ships are now becoming less rigid and less formal . One contributing

factor for this is that there are increasing numbers of teachers

who have been trained in psychological and educational theory.

This knowledge is derived from western textbooks. Also, a teacher

is not the only source of knowledge as in the past . Students can

learn from other media .

In line with this, it is suggested that Thai teachers should

pay attention to and develop the skills of effective communication

in order to accentuate the positive aspects of such changes which

are taking place.

Training in interpersonal skills usually requires the aid and

interaction of experts in training situations . In Thailand, where

this sort of expertise is scarce, an alternative approach to teach­

ing may initially be necessary . This author will be returning to

Thailand in the near future and would like to work in the area of

teacher behaviour. A question is whether any alternative approach

would aid in the acquisition of interpersonal skills at an adequate

level . Programmed instruction may be an appropriate method . It

has the advantages in that :

it allows the students to work at their own pace .

it is a useful substitute for experts especially

if experts are unavailable .

it provides frequent opportunity for students to

actively respond to subject matter, and offers

immediate feedback to them as to the accuracy of

responses .

training in skills needs time for learners to

incorporate the ideas . A programmed text may be

used as a means of introducing the knowledge of

effective communication .

6.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness

of using a programmed text in the field of training in inter­

personal skills. It is hoped that the outcome of this investigation

would provide useful indications as to the value of using only a

programmed text, especially in a situation where there is a

scarcity of training resources and personnel.